19 Best Gifts for Outdoor Photographers (2024 Gift Guide)
Do you know someone who’s favorite part of hiking or backpacking is taking photos? Are you at a loss for what to get them as a gift since you don’t know the difference between f-stop and shutter speed?
Relax, we’ve got you covered! My husband Michael is a professional photographer – which explains how I get all these awesome photos for the blog! :) – and he put together this great guide to the best gifts for outdoor photographers.
THE BEST GIFTS FOR OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
We’ve split up this gift guide for outdoor photographers into a few sections to help you find the perfect gift:
Outdoor Photography Gifts Under $50
Camera Packs & Mounts Gifts
Gifts of Photography Accessories
Splurge-Worthy Outdoor Photography Gifts
If you’re looking for specific outdoor photography gift ideas, go ahead and skip ahead to that section!
And if you’re still stuck on a gift idea, just remember that the very best gift you could give your favorite outdoor photographer is to go on an adventure with them and be the subject of their photos! :)
Please note: The below post contains affiliate links.
GIFTS FOR OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHERS UNDER $50
1. ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS
Looking at a bunch of tiny images in a square format doesn’t always provide inspiration. Lately, I have found myself really appreciating photo books with beautifully printed images in a larger scale format. Books from the perspective of elite level adventure photographers Jimmy Chin, Chris Burkard and Corey Rich provide the gift of storytelling through incredible images.
2. ANSEL ADAMS WALL CALENDAR
Another great gift option for outdoor photography inspiration is an Ansel Adams Wall Calendar. Ansel Adams was one of the most well-renowned outdoor photographers, known for his stunning photographs of the landscapes of the West. This calendar features gorgeous black and white photos of places including Yosemite, Denali, Cape Cod, and more.
3. JOBY GORILLAPOD
Sometimes a full-size tripod is overkill. If you’re going on a long multi-day backpacking trip, why lug around a full-size tripod if you don’t need it? The GorillaPod is a great solution because it’s small enough to bring along anywhere.
With a swiveling head and the ability to wrap around odd objects (like tree branches), the GorillaPod is super useful. And at a fraction of the cost and weight of its larger counterparts, this is a perfect gift for the outdoor photographer.
4. NEOPRENE LENS POUCHES
If you’re big into landscape photography and love bringing as much gear as you can pack, these nifty neoprene lens pouches can help save you room in your backpack. Clip them to the pack, feed them through a belt, or wear them in another creative way. When I hiked the John Muir Trail, I had so much in my pack that I didn’t have room for the extra lens I knew I needed, and these protective sleeves were my solution.
5. CAMERA RAINSLEEVE
Even if your camera is water-resistant, water-proof, and weather-sealed, would you really risk your expensive baby in a drizzle or a snow storm? I think not! But you shouldn’t let weather make your photo-taking decisions for you, and these super light plastic rain covers mean you don’t have to.
These rainsleeves are designed to fit your camera to protect it while letting you have access to all the buttons. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer for a photographer so they can always have it at the ready, just in case, when they’re backpacking or adventuring in the rain.
6. CAMERA MULTI-TOOL
This little gadget is cute and functional, making it a perfect present for outdoor photographers. The Kikkerland Camera Multi-tool is flat to easily slip into a pocket, wallet, or pack, and includes several screwdrivers, wrenches, and even a Sunny 16 rule to help determine lens exposure for daylight. Plus, it’s in the shape of a camera!
7. CAMERA LENS COFFEE MUG
When outdoor photographers are getting an alpine start to catch that spectacular sunrise shot, a camera lens coffee mug will totally come in handy! This mug is shaped exactly like a Canon lens but has a stainless steel interior to keep hot beverages insulated. It comes with two lids, one to sip from and one which seals.
8. LEGO NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER MINIFIGURE
Your favorite outdoor photographer will love to see themselves in miniature in this LEGO Nature Photographer figure. This would make an adorable stocking stuffer!
GIFTS OF CAMERA PACKS & MOUNTS
9. HYPERLITE MOUNTAIN GEAR CAMERA POD
When you are on the trail as a photographer, you need to think about how to keep your camera at the ready while also keeping that fancy expensive camera safe in the wild. Hyperlite is known for making some of the best ultralight gear on the market (especially backpacks) but I was especially excited when I found out they make a simple camera holster that protects your camera without weighing you down on the trail.
10. PEAK DESIGN CAMERA CAPTURE CLIP
If your main goal is to get the shot no matter what and not have to fuss with zippers or grabbing the camera out of a bag every single time, then the Peak Design Capture Clip is the perfect solution for you. This little lightweight metal clip easily attaches to any strap on your bag or belt allowing you to quickly attach or detach whenever necessary through a small tripod-like plate.
If you love the idea but are a bit nervous about the lack of protection with your camera exposed, consider the Peak Design shell cover to give you more peace of mind.
11. PEAK DESIGN CAMERA STRAPS
When carrying around your beloved camera, a sturdy strap can be extremely handy, but straps can also get in the way at times, especially if you want to take the camera on and off a tripod. Peak Design provides the perfect solution with incredibly strong straps that have quick releases on the camera end.
These straps are easy to take off and on without sacrificing quality or strength. They come in multiple sizes and have very easy adjustment points to boot.
12. STROHL MOUNTAIN LITE 45L BACKPACK BUNDLE
I could write an entire gift guide about the variety of photography bags and their different uses, but I’m going to focus on one that can carry all your pricey photography possessions along on any adventure. This incredible bag by Moment was designed by renowned adventure photographer Alex Strohl, and his experience shooting in the outdoors led him to create an intelligent, lightweight, do-anything photo bag.
This bag also comes with many useful accessories intentionally designed to fit perfectly inside. These include a lightweight holster compatible with the Peak Design Capture Clip I mentioned earlier and a nifty removable organizational cube. And if you don’t want to get the entire kit, you can gift just the bag or just the holster by itself.
GRAB MY [FREE] OUTDOOR BACKPACKER STARTER KIT
I created the Ultimate Outdoor Backpacker Starter Kit for you (and it's FREE)! This starter kit is filled with 14 pages of my best hiking and backpacking tips to help you learn what it takes to become a safe, confident, and self-sufficient outdoor backpacker!
PHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES GIFTS
13. PELICAN MEMORY CARD CASE
No camera gear in the world will ever be as important as the memory card holding all the images from that special outdoor adventure. So why would you skimp out on the storage for your SD cards?
For a great price, Pelican makes a shock-proof, waterproof (and, I would argue bomb-proof) hard cover case that is very light and thin and can fit normal to mini SD cards. I have had mine for years and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.
14. CAMERA CLEANING KIT
When taking shots in the backcountry, your camera will inevitably get dirty. A cleaning kit like this one is absolutely necessary for outdoor shooting and won’t take up too much room in your pack or weigh you down.
And you don’t always need to take the whole kit! A lens pen is small but mighty and will help to clear that dust that makes its way into your sensor and lenses which will surely save your shots (and extend the longevity of your camera). This makes a great stocking stuffer for the outdoor photographer of the family.
15. POLARPRO NEUTRAL DENSITY & POLARIZED FILTERS
Adding a neutral density (ND) and/or polarized filter to your lens can take an outdoor image from pretty good to amazing. ND filters cut the light from your sensor allowing you to slow down the shutter, and a polarizing filter will remove surface reflections from your shot.
One rule of thumb is don’t put garbage glass on top of your expensive lenses because it’ll defeat the purpose. PolarPro makes great quality filters, so it’s worth spending a little extra on the gift of a good filter to retain excellent image quality.
SPLURGE-WORTHY GIFTS FOR OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
16. PEAK DESIGN TRIPOD
With so many good full-size tripods out there on the market, it can be confusing picking one. But even if you or your favorite outdoor photographer already has a tripod, the Peak Design Carbon Travel Tripod will most likely be an upgrade. This three-legged masterpiece is made of super-strong yet ultra-light carbon fiber with an innovative design to take up less space on your bag and a great articulating head to boot.
For something a bit cheaper, although not as light but even sturdier, check out the aluminum sibling of this great tripod.
17. GOPRO HERO 11
Back when the GoPro Hero 3 came out, I wasn’t very impressed with the photos even though the video served a decent-enough purpose. But now it seems that after many years and numerous renditions of the Hero action cams, they are finally getting to a point where I can recommend them to photographers and video shooters alike.
Thanks to the innovation of small sensors and increased battery life, with the GoPro Hero 11, you can give yourself or someone else the gift of capturing images that would never be possible with a traditional camera.
18. DJI MAVIC AIR 2 DRONE
Just as I mentioned with the GoPro, when I bought my first DJI, I was impressed with what the money got you but the images out of the drone, especially pictures, left something to be desired. That is no longer the case!
The DJI Mavic Air 2 gives you a whopping 48 megapixels with a larger sensor and higher dynamic range than its predecessors. This would make an absolutely awesome gift for an outdoor photographer to capture amazing vistas.
19. DIGITAL CAMERA
If you are feeling extra generous with your gift-giving, you can give the best gift an outdoor photographer could get - a brand new camera!
With modern cameras, one can become a little complacent in the approach to taking photos given how incredibly smart modern cameras are with auto focus, face detection, and clean, sharp, characterless lenses. But you can change that with a new type of digital camera - these three amazing cameras are modern takes on film cameras with digital sensors. They offer a professional level of quality, but they require you to slow down, expose properly, choose your aperture, and even focus manually, forcing you to change the way you approach capturing places and moments.
Some call these EDC or everyday cameras because you really can take them anywhere and everywhere without burdening yourself. They offer the perfect opportunity to improve your photography skills in the backcountry while going light!
The Fujufilm options have optical viewfinder (as well as electronic viewfinders) to help you feel more connected to your subject while looking through the viewfinder more like a film camera. The Leica Q2 offers all the manual features but with a modern high resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) if an optical viewfinder isn’t for you. All these incredible cameras ask of you is to get better at deliberately choosing your shots, learn more how exposure works, and reignite your love for photo taking.
Hopefully, this gift guide has helped you find some great gifts for the outdoor photographer in your life! If you still need more photography gift ideas, reach out in the comments below! And be sure to check out some of our other gear resources, too!
Other Gear and Outdoor Gift Guide Resources:
Cheers,
Allison - She Dreams of Alpine
Your Ultimate Guide to the Angels Landing Hike in Zion National Park | The Angels Landing Trail is one of the most iconic hiking trails in the Untied States for a reason. It has every quality an amazing day hike needs: physical challenge, beautiful views, and epic adventure! This trail will test your mental strength as you make your way up the narrow steep spine toward the top of Angels Landing, but, trust me my friend, it’s well worth it! Check out our full trail guide & safety tips for hiking the Angels Landing trail here! | shedreamsofalpine.com